Improvement in cigar-boxes



UNITE STATES PATENT OFFICE MOSES LIOHTENSTEIN, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., ASSIGNOR TO LIOI ITENSTEIN BROTHERS 8t 00., OF SAME PLACE.

IMPROVEMENT IN CIGAR-BOXES.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No- 166,534, dated August 10, 1875; application filed June 4, 1875.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, Moses LICHTENSTEIN, of the city, county, and State of New York, have invented a new and Improved Air-Tight WVooden Box, of which the following is a specification This invention relates to an improvement on the class of boxes which are made of wood, and usually employed as cigarboxes, and has for its object to render such boxes practically proof against the admission or escape of air or moisture to or from its contents, and also at the same time to make them cheaper, more efficient, and of better appearance than the boxes heretofore in use.

The invention consists in covering the top, bottom, sides, and ends of the box, on the outer side, with metal foil, in combination with a paper lining or binding placed around the corners of the box, in such a manner that the paper will lap over and protect the edges of the metal foil, as will be hereinafter more fully described.

In the accompanying drawing, Figure 1 is a perspective view of my improved box. Fig. 2 is a transverse vertical section of the same.

Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in both figures.

The letter A represents a wooden cigar-box, made of suitable shape and size. This box is covered on the outer surface of its top, bottom, ends, and sides with tin-foil a, which is affixed to the box by glue or other adhesive substance, and smoothed down so as to form an even surface. The corners of the box are covered with a narrowpaper lining, b b, in such a way that the paper lining overlaps the edges of the metal foil to. In this way the outer faces of the box A will be completely covered by the foil, and yet the edges of the foil will not be exposed, and cannot therefore be rolled up. This will insure the durability of the foil covering, which closes the pores of the wood, and prevents moisture from escaping from, as well as from entering, the interior of the box.

In making a box of this improved construction I am enabled to use cheaper ,wood than that heretofore used on wooden cigarboxes, as in my improved box the surface of the wood is entirely hidden from view, while heretofore the wood was exposed to view and had to be selected for perfection of grain, absence of knots, Ste. The tin-foil is capable of receiving a finer brand by painting, embossing, or otherwise, than the wood direct, and will greatly improve the appearance of the box, adding to its value without adding to its cost.

I am aware that boxes have heretofore been lined on their inner sides with tin-foil; but they did not possess the advantages of my box, because it is very difficult to apply tinfoil to the inside of a box, because, also, the edges of the tin -foil could not be secured, and because the wood selected for the box was necessarily of the most vexpensive kind; and, finally, because the tin-foil imparted, by its direct contact, an unpleasant taste, rendering the cigars unhealthy, and causing a grayish mold to settle on parts of the cigars and pieces of the foil to adhere to the latter.

The brands prescribed by law can be burned into the wood through the foil.

I claim as my invention- A cigar-box rendered air'tight by a complete covering of tin-foil, a, which is attached to the wood of the box by gum, and whose edges are covered with paper binding 1), substantially as and for the purpose specified.

MOSES LIGHTENSTEIN.

Witnesses:

F. V. BRIESEN, A. V'. BRIESEN. 

